Current responsive signal devices



y 1957 R. E. BARNES 2,799,852

CURRENT RESPONSIVE SIGNAL DEVICES Filed Nov. 26, 1954 IN VEN TOR.

208E871 E, S4EIVES,

AQmxk/am A TTONEYS United States Patent CURRENT RESPONSIVE SIGNAL DEVICES Robert E. Barnes, Cleveland, Ohio Application November 26, 1954, Serial No. 471,191

2 Claims. (Cl. 340-252) The present invention relates to current responsive signal devices and in particular to a wall receptacle into which is plugged the male connectors which connect lamps, household appliances, and the like, to a source of current.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a wall receptacle having a special means for actuating an alarm whenever the male electrical connector is disengaged from the wall receptacle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a wall receptacle into which may be plugged several male connectors, each one of them being connected to a household appliance, lamp, or the like, the receptacle having special connection to an alarm system so that when the household appliance or lamp is removed and disconnected from the receptacle the alarm will be actuated.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a wall receptacle which may be installed in series parallel so that any number of appliances may be connected, for display purposes, or the like, and having means which sounds an alarm should any one of the appliances be removed from the circuit.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description, when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of the wall receptacle of the present invention, and

Figure 2 is a circuit diagram showing the use of the wall receptacle of the present invention.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing, the invention consists of a substantially rectangular insulating block, shown in dotted lines, and indicated by the reference numeral in Figure 1.

The tab ends, also shown in dotted lines and indicated by the reference numeral 11 are of conventional construction to permit the mounting of the receptacle of the present invention in the usual electrical connector box which is mounted within a wall panel or floor panel and provided with a suitable cover, neither the box nor the cover being here illustrated as not being a part of the invention.

The contact bars 12 and 13 are supported within the receptacle and have means for receiving the prongs of a male connector indicated in dotted lines at 14, as seen in Figure 2.

The contact bar 12 is of conventional construction, having a pair of contact arms 15 at each end, each of said pair of arms constituting a female connector and being engageable with one of the prongs of the male connector 14.

The other contact bar 13 has a special construction consisting of a pair of contact'arms 16 and 17, one at 2,799,852 Patented July 16, 1 9 57 2 each end of the block 10, and each of which are spaced from a contact arm 18 and 19, respectively, each of which are in circuit with the contact bar 13.

Referring to Figure 2, it will be seen that a source of current indicated generally by the reference numeral 20 is connected to the wall receptacle of the present invention, having one wire 21 supplying current to the bar 12 and the other wire connecting in circuit with the contact arm 16, through the fuse 22. The contact bar 13 is normally out of circuit with either of the contact arms 16 or 17, but is placed into circuit with them whenever the male connector 14 is inserted into the wall receptacle, one of the prongs, as indicated by the reference numeral 23, acting to complete the circuit from the contact arm 16 to the contact bar 13. Another male connector will have one of its prongs between the contact arms 17 and 19 to complete the circuit to an electromagnetic switch indicated by the reference numeral 29, which is in an open condition at any time the current is flowing to the switch. An alarm, indicated by the reference numeral 24 is electrically driven by the current flowing through the wire 25 from the contact bar 12 and the Wire 26 connecting to the contact arm 16 and the source of current. A spring 27 biases the contact arm 28 of the electromagnetic switch 29 to the closed position at any time that the energy or current is interrupted to the electromagnetic switch.

In use, the present invention may be used in an appliance store, for instance, to protect the display of a number of appliances, and a number of wall receptacles of the present invention may be' connected in series parallel with a male connector connecting each of the appliances to one of the wall receptacles of the present invention. Upon unauthorized removal of any one of the appliances so displayed and so connected, the alarm will be actuated.

While only a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, other embodiments may be made and practiced within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A current responsive signal device comprising an electrically driven alarm, an electromagnetic switch connected in circuit with said alarm operable when deenergized to energize said alarm, a first contact bar directly connected to a source of electric current and also connected in circuit with said alarm and said switch, a female connector at each end of said bar, a second contact, bar arranged in spaced relation with respect to said first contact bar, a contact arm on each end of said second contact bar, another contact arm positioned adjacent to and cooperating with each of the contact arms on said second bar, each of the female connectors on said first bar being in lateral spaced alignment with the contact arm on the second bar and its cooperating contact arm and adapted to receive the prongs of a male electrical connector, one of said another contact arms being connected to said electric current source and also connected in circuit to said switch and the other of said another contact arms being connected in circuit with the electromagnet of said switch.

2. A current responsive signal device comprising an electrically driven alarm, an electromagnetic switch connected in circuit with said alarm operable when deenergized to energize said alarm, a first contact bar directly connected to a source of electric current and also connected in circuit with said alarm and said switch, a female.

connector at each end of said bar, a second contact bar "arranged in spaced relation with respect to said first contact bar, a contact arm on each end of said second contact bar, another contact arm positioned adjacent to and cooperating with each of the contact arms on said second of 'said' another contact arms being connected through a 10 fuse to said electric current source and also connected in circuit to said switch and the other of said another con- 4 tact arms being connected in circuit with the electromagnet of said switch. 7

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 497,430 Leland May 16, 1893 2,045,199 F'etersen June 23, 1936 2,592,989 Wilson Apr. 15, 1952 2,646,556 Allen July 21, 1953 2,689,341 Holst Sept. 14, 1954 2,696,607 Witkin Dec. 7, 1954 

